"Unless you’re prepared to argue that a growing proportion of black and Latino voters suffer from internalized white supremacy that attracts them, Stockholm Syndrome style, to an overtly racist party, then there’s clearly something other than bigotry at work in the multiracial working class’ abandonment of the Democratic Party. And it’s been quite a long time in the making." I've actually seen that argument, sadly enough.
I am one of those college-educated people who typically voted Democrat, but I come from an agrarian background. The disrespect that the Democrat Party shows for workers is nauseating. I expect Republicans to take workers for granted. The Republican attitude was always, rather disingenuously, if you want a better life, work your way up. If you're stuck in a dead end job, ain't nobody's fault but your own, so I don't feel sorry for you. That's why I tended not to vote Republican. That attitude bothered me a lot because I saw the obstacles, often in forms of business regulations and taxes that in practice only applied to small companies, the wealthy threw up to keep people from rising. But these days I'm seeing a very similar attitude coming from the Democrats. We need more parties, however unrealistic that is, because neither party is a fit for the working class.
I have a theory that there is a point at which all of this will fold back upon itself. What you've described here is absolutely true but also an old story of the "white savior complex". But we've also seen from the "Summer of Woke" that the woke hold the ultimate trump card in liberal/progressive circles, and it was the woke who in fact first described the white savior complex. The whole thought process behind "centering the lived experience" is all about getting away from this pattern where the downtrodden are "auditioning as extras in the moral fables of the Brown alumni network". How much further do we need to travel along this path before the woke look around and discover exactly who it is that is relegating them to that position, and why?
Just as a quick heads up, Ruy Teixeira's name is misspelled throughout -- not a big deal, but thought you might want to know. Great piece, as usual, though. From your mouth to Dem ears, one hopes...
"Unless you’re prepared to argue that a growing proportion of black and Latino voters suffer from internalized white supremacy that attracts them, Stockholm Syndrome style, to an overtly racist party, then there’s clearly something other than bigotry at work in the multiracial working class’ abandonment of the Democratic Party. And it’s been quite a long time in the making." I've actually seen that argument, sadly enough.
I am one of those college-educated people who typically voted Democrat, but I come from an agrarian background. The disrespect that the Democrat Party shows for workers is nauseating. I expect Republicans to take workers for granted. The Republican attitude was always, rather disingenuously, if you want a better life, work your way up. If you're stuck in a dead end job, ain't nobody's fault but your own, so I don't feel sorry for you. That's why I tended not to vote Republican. That attitude bothered me a lot because I saw the obstacles, often in forms of business regulations and taxes that in practice only applied to small companies, the wealthy threw up to keep people from rising. But these days I'm seeing a very similar attitude coming from the Democrats. We need more parties, however unrealistic that is, because neither party is a fit for the working class.
Awww MAN! You left out “deplorables”. I was so looking forward to how you would bang that nail on the head
I have a theory that there is a point at which all of this will fold back upon itself. What you've described here is absolutely true but also an old story of the "white savior complex". But we've also seen from the "Summer of Woke" that the woke hold the ultimate trump card in liberal/progressive circles, and it was the woke who in fact first described the white savior complex. The whole thought process behind "centering the lived experience" is all about getting away from this pattern where the downtrodden are "auditioning as extras in the moral fables of the Brown alumni network". How much further do we need to travel along this path before the woke look around and discover exactly who it is that is relegating them to that position, and why?
Excellent piece Leighton. I would only note that my name is spelled “Ruy Teixeira”!
Just as a quick heads up, Ruy Teixeira's name is misspelled throughout -- not a big deal, but thought you might want to know. Great piece, as usual, though. From your mouth to Dem ears, one hopes...